That Ain't No Etch-a-Sketch {Cleo}

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[/blockquote]Cleo wasn't picking up her phone. Cleo wasn't picking up her phone, and Adeen was having a meltdown. Currently, she was in Rhys' bathroom, against the wall sitting, with ehr hand clamped over her mouth to keep her sounds silent. Her eyes were squeezed shut, so she didn't have to see that plastic bar that had fell out of her hands . Those two pink lines that appeared together, those two. Dreadful pink lines. She wasn't sure exactly how long she'd been sitting on the bathroom floor, or how many times she's called Cleo.

Cleo was the voice of reason, the levelheaded one, when Adeen couldn't be. And right now, she couldn't go to Rhys. She couldn't tell him that she was pregnant, not yet, anyway. Again, the phone went straight to voicemail, and Adeen stumbled to her feet. She wiped at her face with the sleeve of her oversized sweater, and stuffed the horrible object back in the box, shoved her shoes into a pair of flats, and hurried to the elevator. She stopped halfway down the building, to drop the evidence in a trashcan in one of the offices on the other floor, before heading back to the ground floor. She had completely forgotten she could fly. And now she was trapped in the elevator, as it ticked floor by floor, slow as can be.

She pressed her hands over her face, trying to slow her breathing. Hypervenilating wouldn't do her any good. Once she was on the ground floor, she rushed through the bakery despite a few strange stares, and out the doors. She turned the building, and ran behind it where she couldn't be seen, while she shot upwards into the sky. Just below the clouds, she quickly raced for the Disney store, touching down in an alleyway nearby. With her arms crossed over her chest, and hugging her own upper arms tightly, she walked as fast as she could to the store. It was late, and getting dark out already. Rhys was still working at his office, and probably hadn't noticed that she was gone. And if he asked anyone--they'd tell him they saw her run from the building. Not good. She pulled her phone out of her pocket, and texted Rhys. ' w/Cleo, hang w/her after work i love you gingerbear'.

She shoved the phone into her pocket as she burst through the doors, ignoring that they were getting ready to close. She was wild eyed, and her hair a total mess. She had been really good at keeping herself looking together, and presentable. But now. Now was chaos, and her world felt like it was ending, and she needed the one person that wouldn't judge her, or turn her away. Or hell. Tell everyone in the world. Rhys would be understanding, but excited---and chances are he'd make a huge deal out of it while she was still trying to cope.

"Cleo? Is Cleo here, or did she leave already?" Adeen asked one of the workers, who opened their mouth to speak. But it wasn't fast enough. Adeen was already moving away from them extremely fast, looking for the flash of red hair that was her friend.

Tags: Cleo / Dani / Adeen / Olley
Notes: HOLY CRAP.
Outfit: I love her expression on the left. XD[/size][/blockquote]

[CLEO EVERETT]

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Cleo had been working at the Disney store for a good month now and she ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT. Having grown up with the Disney movies, she couldn’t help but to smile every time she walked into the store. Nothing upset her while she was here. Children throwing tantrums over not getting a toy? She totally understood where they were coming from and, if anything, she was sympathetic instead of annoyed. Cleo did her very best to make sure a child left happy, whether their parents had bought them anything or not. Cleo reassured them ‘next time’ and suggested that they go home and watch their favorite movie to make up for it.

The managers liked her (except for the assistant manager, but whatever). Her fellow Cast Members were delightful. She got discounts on the merchandise. This job really was completely perfect. After a wonderful shift, she went in the back to gather her things from her locker. Cleo had schoolwork to catch up on. That was perhaps the only downside to having a full-time job. She could go to her classes just fine, but it was the extra time she’d used for homework that was being spent at work. “See you tomorrow, Jenny!” Cleo called into the break room before making her way back into the store.

Had Adeen still had her pink hair, Cleo would have spotted her best friend immediately. As it were, though, Adeen’s hair was now dark and Cleo assumed she was yet another customer. “Oh, Cleo! A woman just rushed in here looking for you.” Annabelle said suddenly, catching Cleo as she walked by. “Really?” Cleo looked back around the store, standing on her tip-toes. And, there! Cleo would recognized Adeen anywhere, even without the pink hair. “Adeen!” Cleo called, starting back towards her friend. “I just got off my shift. Do you want to go get something to eat?” She asked, hardly thinking that anything could be wrong.

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Adeen turned at the sound of Cleo's familiar voice, and looked like she was about to burst into tears at the sight of her firey red hair, and big smile. "Yes, yes please." Adeen's voice was tight, a mixture of relief and hysteria. The much taller girl walked at Cleo's side, her face in her hands, rubbing at her face. She seemed to pull herself together, and returned the smile. "How are you liking work? I'm sorry I haven't been in to see you sooner. Rhys keeps thinking if I step outside I'm suddenly going to be shoving powder up my nose again." She let out a bitter chuckle, then looked sad again. She wrapped her arms around herself again, "That made him sound horrible..." She shook her head, and glanced down at her friend.

"Where do you wanna eat? My treat! And that way you can tell me all about work, and any cute guys you should be trying to get." Adeen nudged Cleo playfully, and dropped her arms to tuck her thumbs into the back pockets of her pink shorts that were nearly covered by her obscenely large sweater. How was she going to tell her? How was she going to say it, without bursting into tears? Her mind was swimming, and she was doing the best to keep her tears out of her large brown eyes. It wouldn't do her any good to start falling apart at the seams on the way to...whatever resturaunt they were headed to. She looked up towards the sky, that was painted with oranges and purples, the sun just beginning to set. While he head was up, her legs paused with their walking...only she still remained at Cleo's side. It was just a split second that she floated next to her friend, before her feet dropped back that half inch to the ground and she started walking again, looking back down at the ground so she wouldn't trip.

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[CLEO EVERETT]

It wasn’t until they’d exited the Disney store that Cleo noticed something was wrong. It might have been that she was perpetually happy while in the store and so she hadn’t noticed Adeen’s harried appearance. Now, though, Cleo was realizing Adeen’s tangled mess of hair and her misty eyes. Had she been crying? Cleo’s face was the picture of concern but she couldn’t ask what was wrong for Adeen was starting conversation. “Oh!” Momentarily distracted by the opportunity to talk about work, Cleo couldn’t help but to slip back into blissful unawareness of her best friend’s troubles. “It’s amazing. Just… completely perfect. I couldn’t imagine working anywhere else.”

Cleo slowed a bit, giving her friend a worried look. “No, it didn’t. You’re fine.” The roller coaster of worry and joy was giving her a bit of whiplash. “We could check out the Food Court,” Cleo suggested, not wanting to go somewhere that would be too expensive, especially since Adeen was paying. Cleo laughed, rolling her shoulders. Were there any cute guys? It would just be strange to date a co-worker. “Never mind me!” Cleo exclaimed suddenly, waving a dismissive hand and looking to Adeen. She… she suddenly seemed taller than usual (which was already pretty tall). Cleo gave her friend a curious look over, wondering what it could be. For a short second, she could have sworn Adeen was… but… nah! That wasn’t possible.

Shaking her head and forgetting what she’d just seen, Cleo turned and led the way to the Food Court. Every shopping center had one, after all, even Bertelsmann building. It was a good thing the Disney store wasn’t too high up in the 42-story building. Cleo was not one for heights or flying which was why she did her best to stay below the 20th floor. “How are you, Adeen?” Cleo asked, focusing on her friend. She couldn’t let herself get distracted anymore. There was clearly something wrong.

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Adeen glanced back up at the glass top. It was high enough that it rarely got cleaned. Maybe she could clean it. That'd work some of the edge off, right? She chuckled to herself, and rolled her eyes. "There'd got to be at least one." Adeen waggled her brows, leading her to the food court. Panda Express sounded good, and that's where Adeen headed. Ordering orange chicken, with a side of lo mein. Honestly, it didn't look authentic. It was trying too hard to have a modern Chinese feel to it, and she had never seen an asian person at a Panda Express. But the food was hot, fresh, and amazing. Plus...Best. Fortune. Cookies. Ever.

She didn't exactly answer Cleo's question at first. She just slid her little tray down the rails, and picked up a bottle of ice tea. Which in turn, made her stomach tighten, like she was about to puke. She put the tea back, and grabbed a bottle of water, and pulled the wallet out of the back of her shorts. Adeen glanced at her friend, and offered her a quick smile, paying for both orders. Once Cleo had met her, she slowly started walking for a table. "I've...been better." She said slowly, her throat closing up again. This was a nightmare, a horrible, horrible nightmare. Getting clear of the drugs, and old habits were hard. Living with the things in her past was also hard. But now...now the rest of her life would be hard. She would never know what it's like to be clean and independant. She would have to go from dropping care about herself, to care about someone else.

She sat onto her chair...though sat wasn't an appropriate word. She seemed to collapse into her chair. Normally, the crunchy, glazed chicken would make her mouth water, and she'd begin to inhale it with barely any chewing. But now, suddenly. It was making her feel ill. Whether it was the infant protesting her putting that food into her body, or the fact that she was about to tell Cleo that there was an extra person at their table. Adeen set her fork down, and put her elbows on her table, and put her forehead in her hands. "Cleo, I don't really know why I came out here. I'm sorry," She picked up her fork, and pushed around her chicken, looking defeated. "I just, I couldn't go to Rhys. And I don't really have anyone else to go to." She chewed on the inside of her cheeks, her husky, warm voice suddenly sounding very tired again. The way she was suddenly moving her lips, looked like she was going to start crying again. Even as she let out a shakey, defeated sigh; tears starting in her eyes again. "I already lost one, and now this is happening. What if I lose this one too? Do I tell Rhys? And then what if I accidentally lose it? He'll never survive going through that again. The first time he almost died on the spot. What if I don't? I never had parents. I didn't know my mom, and my dad is a piece of shit." She hid her face in her hands, shoving her sleeves into her eyes to prevent breaking into sobs.

"Rhys and I don't even have parents. It'll be just us, I can't. I, just, I...w-wh..." Her words broke off in a series of panicked gasps. She dropped her hands into her lap, and stared at the wall, unable to look at her friend. Her dark brows furrowed, and lips pressed tightly together to keep from bawling.

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[CLEO EVERETT]

Cleo furrowed her brows, thinking. It would be weird to date a co-worker. Besides, did she want to go out with somebody working at the Disney store? Oh, that sounded hypocritical. It was just… she wanted the cliché ‘opposites attract’ relationship (not that she wanted a relationship). And she couldn’t have that with a co-worker. Because then they both liked Disney and got along and happily ever after. No. That went against everything she had believed for so long. Just because she was working at a Disney store didn’t mean she was going to hop on the happy-ending-fairytale bandwagon. Cleo shook her head with a definitive force. “Nope. Not one.” She didn’t feel like explaining and yet she felt like it would’ve been a good idea to. “I can’t have that opposites attract thing with a co-worker. Especially one at the Disney store.” Cleo paused, glancing to Adeen. “Does that make sense?”

Following Adeen in the line at Panda Express (the only fast food she could eat everyday), she watched her friend carefully while waiting for an answer. Cleo grabbed the bottle of tea Adeen had returned, mostly in case she changed her mind and wanted some later. This wasn’t sweet enough for Cleo. ‘I’ve been better’ was never a good answer (obviously) and it made Cleo uneasy. She’d thought Adeen was getting along fine. Not fantastically, but fine. She had Rhys, after all, and she’d dropped the drugs. Suddenly, her orange chicken and steamed rice didn’t seem as delicious. In fact, Cleo would probably turn down a Gingey’s pastry right now. Because what mattered right now was Adeen. Something was clearly wrong and she wanted to know what was upsetting her friend. Settling into the chair across from Adeen, she waited patiently for her to say something.

Cleo shook her head, hoping it was enough to let Adeen know that she didn’t mind. It was perfectly alright that Adeen came to her. “It’s fine. I’ll always be here for you, you know?” However, it was unsettling that Adeen couldn’t go to Rhys. Were they having trouble? It came clear to her once Adeen had continued. It was an automatic response when Cleo raised her hand to her mouth, looking both shocked and concerned. She’d cried when Adeen had lost her baby; she’d been there as best she could for her friend, but she’d also tried to let Adeen and Rhys have some time. “You’re… pregnant?” Cleo leaned forward, having lowered her voice. An obvious question, yes, but she didn’t want to be wrong. Cleo shook her head. “No, no. Adeen. Listen.” Cleo didn’t know much about pregnancy, but she wasn’t going to let Adeen think like this.

“It wouldn’t be fair to lose this one too.” Cleo really didn’t know much about pregnancy. “This one is going to make it. And when it does, you will be the best mother.” This, though, Cleo was sure of. “Rhys will make a perfect father. And—” she paused, not quite sure if she was stepping over a line. “You won’t be alone. I’ll be there for you, okay? For you and Rhys and the baby.” Cleo smiled reassuringly, reaching across the table even though Adeen’s hands were in her lap. “You and Rhys turned out just fine without parents.” Adeen looked as if she would cry any moment; Cleo knew the look because she’d used it before. “You know, crying might help… We can go somewhere more private, if you want.”

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It was comforting to know that Cleo would always be there. She was a good friend, and a great friend. She was like a ray of sunshine, and it was hard to see her being anything but. But when Cleo said the word pregnant. That word sounded like a heavy bell in her head, and even though it was too soon to feel the infant in her gut, she almost felt a tickle. As if the baby were saying, 'I'm here! I know you're talking about me. I can hear you!' Her head turned foward when Cleo leaned in, her lips parted trying to take in small gulps of air. The tears had already started, the panic set in all over again.

She laughed through the tears, and stared at Cleo. "Rhys and I did not turn out fine. He's a scatter-brained work-a-holic, and I turned out to be a cokehead living on the streets, remember?" She put her elbows on the table, and held her head. She felt so weak, so tired. She was afraid that if she got up to go to the privacy of the bathroom she might just end up collapsing. "I don't know how to be a mom, like. I've never changed a diaper in my life. I don't even know how to hold a baby. How to talk to one?" Into hysterics again she went, her breath hitching. "Cleo, what if my drug use fucked something up in me, what if the baby comes out with some sort of problem. I can't handle a normal kid, what happens if it needs special attention, you know? This is going to mean having to move in with Rhys. And I don't even know if I'm ready for that. I-I..." People were beginning to stare. Even though Adeen's voice was quiet, it was somewhat obvious that she was in distress.

Then something hit her. Cleo had said she'd be there. That she wouldn't be alone. Adeen used her sleeves to wipe at her face, feeling like a little kid. "I...I know it's really soon, but...when it happens, will uh. Will you be in the delivery room with me?" She asked, her voice seeming to calm down, but it sounded high, and tight, like she was trying to hold back from crying. "Cause I might try to kill Rhys, and I need someone who won't faint on me when I'm popping out a kid." Adeen tried to laugh, it was a real chuckle. But it sounded strained, tired, and almost out of place on her red face. "I mean, the Godmom's gotta be there to see the baby, right?" Adeen smiled warily up at Cleo, before her expression changed to surprise, "I mean, you don't have to if you don't want to. I just thought...you know, if you wanted to?"

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